Home Inspection Scheduled? Be Sure the Home is Prepared.

Most people wouldn’t just show up to a job interview without having done some homework. Most of us wouldn’t put our car up for sale without cleaning it up a bit. The same is true if you are planning to sell your home. To borrow from the Boy Scouts: Be Prepared! Here are a few simple things you can do to make sure the home inspection process goes as smoothly as possible:

1.     Clean the house! This is so obvious, yet many home owners overlook this effective tactic. A clean home creates a positive first impression, and makes it easier for the inspector to move around during the inspection. It also conveys a sense that you have cared for your home.

2.     Make sure there’s plenty of work space around the furnace, water heater, and electrical panel. Remove storage boxes, bookcases, furniture and anything else blocking access. The inspector will need three to four feet of working space to properly inspect these items.

3.     Have the home ready for the inspection appointment on time. Most home inspectors are detail-oriented folks who arrive for appointments right on schedule. Many will often arrive early. If an inspector makes an appointment for 9:00 a.m., have the house be ready for inspection at 8:30.

For more information about home inspections, or how a pre-listing home inspection can help you prepare a home for sale and get the highest possible asking price, give me a call at 603-827-3590.